Method and construction of fusing electrical sockets



April 20 1926. v J. G. NOLEN METHOD AND CONSTRUCTION OF FUSINGELECTRICAL SOCKETS Filed June 13. 1923 Wnmad: I had/21oz.

Patented 2t),

UNETEQ S'EA'lf'ii JAMES G. HOLEE', OF NEE V YORK, ll'.

METEOD A1ID UONSTRUCTIUN OF FUSING ELECTRICAL SOCKETS.

Application filed. June 13, 1923. Serial No. 645,165.

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Be it known that l, Jarrns NoLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods andConstruction of Fusing Electrical Sockets, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to an improvement in means whereby toprevent unauthorized use of electric current from electric sockets orbase plugs such as are ordinarily installed in hotels and the like, saidmeans being so utilized relative to the sockets and other outlets toprevent the use in connection with the sockets of smoothing irons,curlers, liea ers and the like, wherein the consumption of current isgreater than that which is firedetermined for ordinary lightingpurposes. For instance, in ordinary lamps for general lighting purposes,lamp consumption runs from to ll) watts, whereas in heating, ironingdevices and the like, the consumption would be up to the maximum of 660watts, and by fusing the said sockets so that nothing above 60 watts maybe utilized, the attempted use of such articles as heaters, ironingdevices and the like in connection with the sockets in the usual manner,will cause a replaceable fuse to be blown, thereby rendering theparticular socketor outlet temporarily inoperative. As generally setforth above, fusing of electric circuits in this manner is old and wellknown.

In the present device however, it is proposed, in view of thesubstantially universal type of construction now adopted for lampsockets and base plug outlets, known as the threaded socket type, toutilize this universal construction in a manner which will permit of theintroduction of a fuse in the bottom thereof, such fuse being introducedby a special means not readily obtainable and rendering the fuse notreadily removable by the average guest in a home or hotel.

The present invention broadly consists of a disk like member of someunfusible dielectric material having a proper fuse element embeddedtherein, said fuse element arranged to permit the flow therethrough ofsufficient current for any lighting capacity but to fuse immediatelyupon the introduction of a device that requires more than thepredetermined amount of current for lamps. This device, being made indisk like formation is so constructed as to be readily fitted into thethreads of the thread sockets and is provided with means arranged forcooperation with a suitable implement or tool separable from the disklike member whereby it may be screwed down to the bottom of the lampsocket or outlet, and upon withdrawal of the separable tool the disklike fuse member is left at the bottom of said socket and in operativeposition to permit reception in the socket of a lamp or a plug in theusual manner, thereby permitting the use of this socket for authorizedpurposes but preventing unauthorized use of current therefrom.

Referring to the accon'ipanying drawing howing one of the possibleembodiments of invention and descrioed by way of exle in the subjoinedspecification, Figure is a plan view of the disk like fuse memi is anedge view thereof in vertical position.

Fi ure 3, is a sectional side view thereof.

Figure i, is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, showing thedisk like fuse member partly introduced into an electric socket, and asuitable implement or tool for moving said member into operativeposition in the socket and for removing it therefrom, and

Figure 5, is a fragmentary side View showing the disk like fuse memberin operative position in the socket and an electric light bulbcooperating with said member.

Similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the severalviews.

My device comprises the disk like body port'on 0, having a threaded edge11 for coop- 2' with the interior thread of socket or The body portion10 is of suita- "ible dielectric r crial preferably n. A contact member13 or 14 is secured to each face of the body portion 10, these contactmembers being of suitable electrically conductive material, and as hownbeing disks of smaller diameter than the body portion 10, securedthereto in opc elation to each other on the body per Ion by en'ibeddingdownturned flange portions 15 and 16 of the disk in suitable recesses 17and 18 formed in the body porcoil of electrically conductive wire tion.ii 19 is connected to the flanged portion, as iii, of one disk and tothe flanged portion, as 16, of the other disk fartl est from the flangedportion 15 of the first disk, the coil of wire 19 passing through thebody portion and embedded therein and constituting a current conductingmeans cooperating between an electric contact appurtenant to each faceof the body portion and which means may be so arranged as to permitpassage between said contacts of electric current of predeterminedpower, this means being fusible upon excess of this power, for therebybreaking the circuit between said contact points.

The body portion 10 is provided with means for cooperation therewith ofa suitable implement for removably inserting the device into a socketand moving the device to operative position therein, this means is shownbeing holes 20 through the body portion 10 arranged in opposed relationto each other, and a suitable implement or tool such as the member 21having the handle 22 and the forked ends 23 which are engageable in theholes 20.

in operation the disk like bot y portion 10 is inserted by means of thetool 21 into a socket such as 1.2 from which the current is to bederived, and screwed to position where a contact disk 13 or 14%- isbrought into contact with the spring contact 24: of the socket, the bodyportion 10 when in operative position bearing against the bottom of thesupporting base of the socket with the spring contact 2% therebetween,the coil 19 being arranged, for example, to fuse or break down undercurrent of more than 60 watts; the electric lamp 25 is screwed into thesocket 12 and brought into position where the central contact of thelamp is in contact with the exposed disk or contact member of the fusedisk, flow of current to the lamp thereby being permitted. Upon removalof the lamp and substitution therefor of any electrically operatedarticle requiring a current of more than watts, the coil 19 is fused andthe circuit is broken.

should be understood that. there may be modifications thereof andvariations therein without departing from the spirit of the invention orexceeding the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to protect by Lettors Patent is:

l. A fuse of the class describec comprising, a one-piece disk like bodyportion of non fusible dielectric material having a threaded edgeportion and having a recess in each face thereof and having holes forengagement a tool therewith; contact members having flanged portions, acontact neniber being secured to each of they outer faces of the bodyportion by engagement of its flanged portion with said recess of thebody portion; and a current conducting coil arranged in said disk andoperatively connecting the contact members.

2. A. fuse of the class described comprising, a one-piece disk like bodyportion of porcelain having a recess in each face thereof; contactmembers having flanged edge portions, a contact member being secured toeach of the outer faces of the body portion by engagement of its flangededge portion with a said recess of the body portion, the

Contact members being in opposed relation to each other; and currentconducting means of coil form embedded in said disk and connected ateach of its ends to a contact memher for operat-ively connecting thecontact members.

JAMES G. NOLEN.

